Multi-Agency Collaboration Releases Sex Trafficking Report

MILWAUKEE – Today, the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission, the Medical College of Wisconsin Institute for Health and Equity, Rethink Resources, Milwaukee Sexual Assault Review, and Milwaukee Police Department – Sensitive Crimes Division will release a report estimating the magnitude of sex trafficking of juveniles and young adults in the City of Milwaukee from Jan. 1, 2013 – Dec. 31, 2016. This project was made possible with funding by the Bob and Linda Davis Family Fund.

“Human trafficking involving youth is a serious and pervasive issue that is a form of violence prioritized in the Blueprint for Peace,” said Reggie Moore of the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention. “We have to do more to prevent the exploitation of children and youth in our community.”

Using MPD records data, 340 individuals aged 25 and younger were identified as having been sex trafficked, or were believed to have been sex trafficked, between Jan. 1, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2016 in Milwaukee. Because information required for further analysis was not available for all individuals, 231 were analyzed. The majority of the individuals analyzed were female (97 percent or 225 individuals), Black/African-American (65 percent or 149 individuals), and were confirmed victims of sex trafficking (81 percent or 187 individuals). One hundred and twenty-six individuals (55 percent) were juveniles at the first reported incident of suspected or confirmed sex trafficking; the remaining 105 individuals (45 percent) were between the ages of 18 and 25 at the first reported incident of suspected or confirmed sex trafficking.

“We hope this report builds on current discussions around the issue and leads to additional collaboration with other agencies in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of sex trafficking in Milwaukee so we are better equipped to respond and prevent it,” said Mallory O’Brien, director of the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission and adjunct assistant professor in Institute for Health and Equity at Medical College of Wisconsin.

The analysis takes a public health approach to sex trafficking, including an analysis of victims, circumstances surrounding the trafficking, and historical factors that may have increased the vulnerability of a victim. The recommendations generated in this report were developed in collaboration with the Milwaukee Sexual Assault Review (MSAR), Proactive Outreach for the Health of Sexually Exploited Youth (POHSEY), Collaborative Rapid Advocacy for Youth (CRAY), and various group homes in Milwaukee. This ensured the recommendations address the policy needs of criminal justice, medical, advocacy, and social service systems that come into contact with victims of sex trafficking.

“This project highlights the great work that can be done when there is collaboration between systems,” Milwaukee Police Department Sensitive Crimes Captain Aimee Obregon said. “There are public health, medical, criminal justice system, child and family services, and social service agencies working together toward a common goal: to gain a better understanding of sex trafficking in the City of Milwaukee and develop strategies to address it.”

“The City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention is committed to working with the Homicide Review Commission, Human Trafficking Taskforce and other partners to address this issue,” Moore added.

Due to the volume of data collected, multiple supplements to this report will be released at a later date. Supplements will include additional data analysis, discussion, and recommendations.

About the Medical College of Wisconsin

Founded in 1893, The Medical College of Wisconsin is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research and community engagement.  More than 1,200 students are enrolled in MCW’s medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee, 56 medical students enrolled at MCW-Green Bay, and 26 students matriculated to MCW-Central Wisconsin in 2016. MCW’s School of Pharmacy will open in 2017 or 2018 with an initial class size of 60 students. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In FY2015, faculty received more than $158 million in external support for research, teaching, training and related purposes. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,200 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,500 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 525,000 patients annually.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.